Automatic power transmission device for automobiles and the like



Oct. 24, 1939. K, E, EVRELL ZV'ZZ AUTOMATIC POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 4, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet l l um l NN W. ,S w\ m\ NN k. m & 4/ mm. h\ hm mm1 WN mm NPN QN l A Q v M wn um om wu l nw Nm I .N .m

K; E. EVRELL AUTOMATIC POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE EOE AUTOMOBILES AMD THE LIKE Filed Nov. 4, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ff. 5 fyfe// 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 K. E. EVRELL Filed Nov. 4, 1935 FII?. 8

Speed off/7e yen'cs/e4 TOMATIC'OWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE 0d. 24, 1939. K 3 EVRELL ZZZ n I AUTOMATIC POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 4, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 v/j/l, l

14 El/well AWM ,B35 d'.

K. E. 'EVRELL AUTOMATIC POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Shest 5 Filed Nov. 4, A1935 mesas oa. 24, 193e l AUTOMATIC POWER TRANSMSSION DE- VICE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE Kaleb Emil Ewell, Eskilstuna, Sweden Application November '4, 1935, Serial No. 48,245 In Sweden November 8, 1934 2 claims. (ci. 19a-ss) `The present invention relates to transmission devices and more particularly pertains to automatic speed changing devices wherein the automatic operation may be manually controlled.

I'he advantage the fully automatic change speed gear device over the manually operated one is that the driver neednot occupyhimself with the operation of the device, but at the same timev this property limits the operation capacity, 'as the automatic change speed gear is not equipped with and hardly can be equipped with vorgans of sense and thinking for observing and deciding what is to berdone in each special case.

Of course, -the actionof the fully automatic change speed gear device' must give a result. which measures up with the average demands fbut, which does not fulfill the requirements in extreme cases. A case ofthe last mentioned kind is driving ,on slippery roads, in which case a steady and suitably accommodated gear ratio between driving motor and car for known rea- .son's makes the` `driving relatively free of risks as compared with driving in a car provided with a free wheel mechanism. Another case is driving down long slopes, in which case, according to experiences, satisfactory braking olf the vvehicle may be obtained only when the drivingvdevice is so arranged that the car may be forced to' drive the motor with a sufliciently high'number of revolutions.

The present invention has for its object to provide a change speed gear device, combining the'advantages of the fully automatic device of this kind with those of the manually operated one, and it consists of an automatic gear device i combined with atoothed speed gear. in which combination the driven shaft may be disconnected from the main shaft driven by the automatic gear. By this device the driven shaft of the automatic gear may either be connected directly tothe driven shaft of the combined gear or it may be, connected with the -driven shaft via a toothed speed gear, the driving motor being in the v latter case at the same time locked inthe direc- A4tion of rotation with the driven shaft of the automatic gear vby means of a toothed or friction 1 clutch or the like. The operation of the gearing may preferably take place with the same member as is used for reversing, the automatic gear'from forward to back. If such an operating member y -is used the same sliould preferably be arranged in' such a manner that the driver may operate only the automatic gear or the 'speed gear. both arranged in series, but not both gearsvsimultaneousiy.

ing drawings, in which Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of the combined gear device.

Figure la is an elevation View of the weights 5 and pins driven by the ywheeland this view is taken in the direction of the arrows associated with the line Ia-Ia of Figure 1.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken in the direction ofthe arrows associated with the line lo II-II of Fig. 1. Figure 3 is a sectionIII-III of Figure -1 which section shows a device for synchronizing -two coupling elements before yengagement between them. i

Figures 4, 5 `and 6 show side views in various positions of function of the same details embodied in Figure 3.

Figure 7 shows the various positions, which the upper end of the reversing hand lever may as- 2f) sume, and the tracks along which the same may The invention is illustrated inthe accompanybe moved during the operations.

Figure 8 illustrates graphically the mode of ac` tion of an automatic change speed gear of the type included in the shown embodiment, without 2d combination -lwith the speed gear, mentioned above.

Figure i9 shows the mode of action after connection of the speed gear to the automatic gear.

Figure 10 is a section on line lli-l0 oi.' Figure 80 `1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure l1 is a developed view of the rollers 8 and thel holding devices therefor.

Figure 12 is adevelopment of a portion of sleeve Figure 13 shows a resilient connection between the parts 9 and i0.

Figure 14 is a cross section of the parts 35 and 46 of the toothed gear showing the shape of the teeth and radial holes with balls and springs.

AFigure 15 is an end view of the parts 40 to 4B operating the connection of the flywheel and the circumference of the sleeve 4.

When the centrifugal Weights rotate 'a torque u held fast on the housing Il, which is rigidly con' l varying vbetween afpositive and a negative maximum value is eected on the sleeve 4, and by means of series of blocking organs such as rollers 1 and 8, which series act in opposite directions of rotation, said torque is transmitted both to an .outer blocking sleeve 8, which by means of a resilient connection device 8' shown in Fig. 13 is nected with the driving motor, as shown in'Flg.

` tion, which is presupposed to rotate the sleeve in the direction of the arrow in vFigure 18, or the direction yof rotation of the driven shaft 81 and Ithe sleeve 4, by means of the rollers 8, rotates the shaft II (see Figure 10). 'I'his torque or impulse generally is called a positive one, when, as in the present case, it has a direct driving action on the shaft. When the centrifugal weights withdraw from the sleeve. 4 they actuate,the same with a torque in the opposite direction, that is to say, they tend to pull the sleeve back. 'I'his movement,l however, is prevented by the rollers 1 and the sleeve 8 secured in the housing I8, see Figure 13. From Figure 13 it-will be seen how the rollers 1 can be pressed against the elevations in the sleeve 8 so that the torque is received by the latter. As the sleeve cannot rotate more than what is allowed by the elastic mounting, this so-called negative torque, the negative impulse, will be transmitted as an accelerating impulsel to the wheel 2. By the displacement of the roller holders I4 and I8 it is possible to move the rollers 1l and 8- peripherally to the opposite extreme position between the checking surfaces andthereby to shift the action of the rollers for backward run. The formerly negative torque or impulse will then become a positive one as it then has a direct driving action on the shaft II via the rollers 8. When displacing the holders I4 and I8 to a middle position,

or to a position between the extreme both sets of rollers 1, 8 run freely.

' A flywheel mass I8, which is rigidly connected with the eccentrics I2 and the sleeve 4, serves to reduce the angular acceleratlons on the sleeve 4 positions to a-value, which is suitable for the engagementof the blocking organsfor instance rollers 1,. 8 and 4to effect transmission of the gear. The reversing of the blocking rollers 1 and 8 takes 'plane in a known manner by means of opposite rotatcry motions of their'respective holders I4 and I8.`

The said operation is effected by axial displace- 4ment of a grooved ring I6, a sleeve I1'rigidly connected with the roller holder I4, the plateV thus turning the roller holder I4 at the axial movement of the sleeve I1. 1 This will be clearly understood on reference to Figs. 1, l1 and 1,2.

The .turning of the inner roller holder I8 takes place in a similar manner by means of'a number of pins 24 secured inv the ring I8, which extend in straight grooves 28 of the inner blocking sleeve Il as well as' in helical'grooves 280i 'the roller holder I8. 'Ihe rollers 1 and 8 may thus be moved to positionswhere they lock respectively the members 8 and 4, or the members I I .and 4 together in any direction of rotation or where one set or the other runs freely. Figure 13 shows how the inner surface of 8 is formed for this purpose. Rollers 8 operate in a similar way, see Figure 10.

The automatic part of the`change 'speed gear device is separated from the toothed speed gear by means of a partition, which completely isolates the two parts from each other/and which makes it possibleto usethe most suitable kindy of-.lubricating oil for each part of the device.

The toothed speed gear (speed reducing gear) consists of two helical gears 21, 28 and 28, 88, which permanently mesh vwith each other. AThe wheel 21 is rigidly connected with the blocking I vsleeve II. The wheels 28`and 28 may be made integrally with each other and mounted on a stationary bolt 8|, the wheel 88 beingv loosely mounted on the driven` shaft 81. The coupling member consists of two main parts 88 and 88,

the part 88 of which slides axially freely on thev shaft 81 but which is prevented from turning relatively to the same by means of keys or splines, not shown, fitting into grooves in the shaft and in the part 88 in known manner. 'I'he outer circumference of the part 88 is provided with teeth II8 which mesh with corresponding teeth II4 of the inner circumference of the part 88. vThe part 88 is provided with radial holes I I2, in which balls II8 are pressed outwards by means of springs IILagainst the rounded groove 84 in the inner circumference of the. part 88. The balls being under spring pressure, cause the two parts 88 and 88 to move together when either of them is displaced in axialdirectlon. A displacement of the part 38 relatively to the part 88 is not possible until the resistance caused by the spring pressure has'been overcome. In ears 4I, secured,

to the toothed wheel 38, balancing. vmembers 42 are pivoted on pivots 48. These balancing members engage pins 48 extending parallel to the shaft 81. A ring 44 is slidable on shaft 81 in the path of the balancing members 42.` A peg 48, extends through a slotV in the shaft and is secured to said ring 44. A pressure bar 48 extends along the axis of shaft 81 and sleeve II andl presses against a coil spring 48 for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

When the coupling member 88 is displaced from the middle position shown in the drawings toward the driving motor the two conical surfaces 88 and 88 after a slight movement come into contact with each other andthe conical surfaces are tightly pressed against each other. upon in case the parts have not before been rotating at the same speed, they become synchronized very easily, if there is no positive Thereobstacle preventing synchronizing, and some of 7 21, 28,28, 88, is relativelysmall in relation to f the rather great moment of inertia, which in the which lin the ordinary automobile gear is represented by the clutch with its large diameter..`

After this synchronizing has-'taken place the l blocking sleeve Il, the toothed wheel 21mm its additional toothed rim 82,the parts .88 and .88

and the driven shaft 81 thusrotate at the same speed, and the lpart 88 may easily be displaced in such a manner that its inner teth will mesh with the toothed rim 32, when the blocking sleeve I I of the automatic gear is rigidly coupled with the A drivenv shaft -31. If, however, the part 3,5 is moved in the opposite direction synchronizing and coupling `of the toothed wheel 39 and the shaft 3-1`will take place in identically the same ring 44 indirection towards the driving motor.

'I'he motion of the ring 44 is transmitted by means ofthe peg 45 to the pressure bar 49, which sets a coil spring 49 fixed in the sleeve 41.

.The sleeve 41 rests against a peg 49 'of a coupling member 50, which is axially displaceable on the fore end of the blocking sleeve Ii, which is provided with grooves for the said member. The coupling member 59 is provided with teeth 53, which may be broughtinto engagementv with corresponding teeth 54 on the flywheel' 2 of the driving motor, and is also provided with projections 55. A ring 5l, surrounds'the coupling member 59, and has an inturned ange 55, having a sliding surface in contact with the flywheel 2. A coil spring 52 bears against the inturned flange pressing it against the flywheel2 and the other end bears against the coupling member 59. T-shaped recesses 51 are provided in the ring 5I and the projections 55 lie therein. Synchronization is thus secured. When no axial pressure is exerted .on the peg 49 by the sleeve 41 the projections 5 5 are free both of the recesses 51 and of a bent portion 59 of the ring 5i, the bent portion having -been provided for mounting reasons. Because of the fact that the coupling member 50 always rotates with the sleeve il, and the ring 5i by its frictional engagement with the ywheel 2 tends to rotate at the same speed as the driving motor,

` the projections 55 will rest either against one side .of the recesses 51.

or the other of the broader portion of the recess 51 owing to the motor rotating faster (gear run) or more slowly than the sleeve il. The changing.

`of the resting from the various sides takes place surfaces 59 in the manner shown in Figure 5. On

the first moment that the speed of the driving motor becomes the same as that of the sleeve li,

coupling together will thus be effected (Figure 9) Consequently, after that the driving motor is rigidly connected with the toothed wheel 21, which via the l intermediate wheels 23, 23 drives thev toothed Wheel s., which visluoyw coupled with the vdriven shaft 31.

' ,'nius, .the driving motor` runs 'with another number of revolutions than the-shaft 31, butno' other freewheel element existing betweentliem `this position maybe used both for braking' thev motor and for driving the car. The safety .de- Yvice'and 5| ensures that there will be no risk of connection which may giveimpulsive forces 4on the teeth 53 and 54. The purpose of the spring 52 is to give the frictional engagement required on the ,surface 53 in v'order that the saietyvdevlce shalll act, and to move the tooth clutch 53, 54 out of engagement, when the wheel 21 is directly coupled with the shaft 31. ,With reference to the characters in Figure 5,\ Pi=the elastic force of the spring 52 and pz=the elastic force of the spring 49 and p1=c0emcient of friction between the contacting surfaces at 55 and 1=coefiicient of friction between4 the members 55 and 59. In order that sliding off and engaging shall take place at the synchronizing Pix/.u should be greater than (Pi-Paix. This condition maybe fulillled by suitably accommodating the spring forces. For facilitating the movement of member 55 over surface 59 into coupling position, the' surfaces may be slightly bevelled as shown on an exaggerated scale in Figure 6.

In orderthat the tooth coupling 53,154 shall more 'easily enter into engagement the same may be arranged with only half of teeth in one set of Shafts 55 andfl (Fig. 2). The shaft 66 is adapted to be used for reversing the automatic gear. The same may either be set for forward movement as is shown in Figures 1 and 2, or'for backward movement, in'which case the index ball 10, which ls under the pressure of the spring 1i, locks the shaft 93 by engaging therecess 69. The recesses 99 and 69 are intentionally made somewhat large for the ball 19 to easily admit of an extra manual action on the operating membersofthe automatic gear. Such extra action may be desirable when starting with cold oil, because the blocking rollers, in order not Yto slide, then require a considerably greater straining. The motion from the operating shaft 95 to the above described grooved ring I6 takes place by means of the coupling fork 99 secured to the shaft. f

The operating shaft 61, which by means of a coupling fork 9| acts upon the above described coupling member serves to reverse the toothed gear and has three positions marked by the indexes 15, 16 and 11. The ball 19 pressed by the spring 19 has ,for its object to lock the shaft 91 in the desired position. The shown position. determined by theball 19, is the free motion posivtion and in this position the driven shaft 31 is disconnected from the shaft or sleeve Il. Index 11 corresponds to direct coupling and 15 to reduced speed gearing between the shafts Il and 31. The movable safety plug 12, guided between the shafts 93 and 31, and the corresponding recesses 13 and 14 in the shafts prevent all simultaneous movements of the shafts. The automatic gear -device must be shifted to forward motion (the position of the shaft 33 shown in Figure 2), the safety Vplug 1 2 then falls into therecess 13, in order to enable the shaft 31 to move. For shifting to backward motion the shaft 31 must be located at index 11. ,l When ,thelautomatic gear is shifted for forwardmotion and the toothed speed gear is set for direct driving but is out of operation the recesses and 33 are opposite each other. and the reversing lever may be moved sideways as much as the depth ofthe grooves allows.

Figure 'I shows the various positions. which the upper end of the reversing lever may assume. 92

indicates the position vofthelever during` backward movement. In that case the automatic gear is set on backward motion and the toothed tion and then actuatea member, which strains for lforward driving. If not very long slopes necessitate braking by means of the motor one may let the lever remain in this position during i all forward driving. 85 indicates the middle posif tion, in which the motor runs freely. Said position isused when adjustment of the ,driving motor is necessary and on other occasions, when it is desired to lcompletely disconnect the driving motor. 86 indicates the lever position, in which the driving motor works via a reducing gear. Still one other lever position 81, shown in dashand-dot lines, may be used, if it is desired to prevent overrunning during direct run driving. If the device is equippedwith this possibility provision therefor may preferably be made in such a manner that the coupling ring 35, after having been coupled together with the toothed rim 32, is caused to be further' displaced in the same directhe spring 4a and bringsthe tooth clutchfn, n into engagement.

This is shown inllgures 16 and 17. During' the continued movement of the member 35 the member 46 is actuated by means of the ring |06 and the pins |01.

In Figure 8, which graphically shows the driving power at various speeds of the car, the curve abc indicates the maximum driving power, which the motor, when directly 1connected to the car shaft, is able to give to the vehicle, and the curve ab is the maximum driving power, which may be obtained at gear run in a well dimensioned automatic gear of the type included in the embodiment shown as an example. After the car has reached such a speed that the motor and the drive shaft have'synchronized l(direct run), the transmission cannot be caused to work on gear until after the ,speedI isreduced to the point a.

Figure 9 shows the same curves for a vehicle,

.A equipped-with a'speed reducing gear according to this invention. another driving power curve al,`b1, c1, winch may i In addition heretol there is be obtained by moving the control lever to the position indicated by 86 in Figure 7 and by then increasing the number of revolutions of the motor. If lc is a ligure indicating the proportion between the number of revolutions of the shaft Il (the inner blocking sleeve) and of the driven shaft 31, when the speed reducing gear is connected, then each point on the curve abc correspouds'for example, a to point a1 on the 'new curve, which is so located that the speed at the point a1 is equal to the speed at the point a divided by Ic, and the driving power at the point a1 is equal to the driving power at point a multiplied by k. The productl of driving power and the speed per second, Vor the mechanical effect is the same at the points a and a1. The advantage of always having a supply of increaseof driving power within reach at all medium speeds of the vehicle is very valuable and might be of special use when overtaking other drivers and when climbing steep slopes.

.Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire lo secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a transmission" device for automobiles a driving shaft, a driven shaft and a main shaft therebetween, automatically regulated' means connecting said driving shaft to said main shaft,

means for directly coupling said main shaft to said driving shaft, a speed reducing gearing permanently connected with said `main shaft and means for connecting said speed reducing gearing to the driven shaft or .directly connecting said main shaft to the driven shaft, instrumentalities whereby said means maybe heldin a neutral position and in which the means for connecting the reducing'gearing to the main shaft actuates the means for directly coupling said main shaft to said driving shaft.

2. In a transmission device for automobiles a driving shaft, a driven shaft and a main shaft therebetween, automatically regulated means connecting said driving vshaft to said main shaft,

means for directly coupling said main shaft ,to

manently connected with said main shaft and means for connecting said speed reducing gearing to the driven shaft or directly connecting said main shaft to the driven shaft, instrumentalities Awhereby said means may be held in a neutral position and in which a flywheel is secured to the driving shaft and the means for directlyY coupling said driving shaft and said main shaft comprises a toothed coupling, one coupling member of which is located on the said main shaft and the other on said flywheel of the driving shaft.

' KALEB EMIL EVRELL.

said driving shaft, a speed reducing gearing per- 

